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I, too, quit FB several years ago. Interestingly, several of our children/children's spouses have also quit - and they are in their 30's. BTW, this forum is also a social media thing, and anyone can read what you post. They may not be able to get a lot of details about you, but someone with malicious intent toward a specific individual could perhaps glean enough to cause some damage. Read over what you wrote BEFORE clicking the button. Besides catching errors that might make you look foolish you may decide that you have written something that you'd rather not share with the whole world.

Welcome, Emily. Lots of opinions on everything, and as always, the correct answer is, "It depends on you." A diesel pusher will cost you more to buy and maybe to own, but gives you lots of advantages, as mentioned above. Gas is cheaper to buy and maybe to own, as mentioned above. Your choice. Remember that everyone drives a used vehicle. All recreational vehicles depreciate, so you can buy a nicer MH for the same amount of money if you are willing to go a bit older. The one we're in was $350,000 new in 1993. I've got it for sale for 10% of that now. Hurricanes: A visitor to Florida asked an old timer where he should go if a hurricane was coming. The old timer answered, "Michigan." An RV has wheels so it can go elsewhere when that seems like a good idea. Just don't be the last one our of Florida. Covid: There are some great deals to be had now. We're getting to the main travel season, and things are starting to open up. Be careful, but be ready to buy when the right coach comes along.

Welcome, Les and Elaine! My suggestion is always to do a LOT of research before making any major decisions. Start with the type of RV. Have you considered travel trailers, fifth wheels, and class A motor homes before focusing on a class C? That's perhaps the first place to start. How will you use your RV? Are you looking at a full-time coach, a long-time vacation coach, a vacation coach, a few times a year coach? Are you minimalists or do you plan on taking everything possible with you? As you talk about your proposed plans you should look at every single RV you can get into, no matter the cost or condition. You are looking at two things: quality and floor plan. It won't take very long for you to figure out what floor plans will work for you and what brands have the quality you are looking for. As was mentioned above, "do" your regular activities ("cook" an meal, "watch" television, "take" a shower, "use" the bathroom, etc.). Class C motor homes originally (50 years ago) were a combination of a pickup camper attached to a cargo van chassis. They have grown considerably since then. Like some class A motor homes, some have quite a bit of coach behind the rear axle. That can create some driving problems if you don't pay attention to how you are loading and how you are driving. Some years ago there were quite a few class C rigs that were near their maximum allowable weight with only full fuel and a driver aboard. Be sure to check the weight information on anything you are considering. This advice applies to ANY RV you are looking at, not just a class C. Remember that most people will tow something with something else. Those who choose a travel trailer, popup trailer, or fifth wheel will tow it with a car, truck, van, etc. Those who choose a class A or B will often tow a car, motorcycle, truck, etc. behind it. The reason is that the towed vehicle can be used to go sightseeing, shopping, etc. without having to take the entire rig. Remember that when the RV moves, everything has to be stowed for travel - even if you are just going to the dump station. Spend some time talking with owners of various types of RVs. Don't ask them why they chose that particular coach; ask them why they chose that TYPE of rig.

I believe that many, if not most, co-ops require you to visit BEFORE getting on the waiting list. The listing by 2gypsies, above, is interesting, but reflects THEIR priorities, which may or may not match yours. You can, however, use the information there to put the list in an order that reflects your interests. We're not interested in swimming pools, so we'd probably put those places at the bottom of our interest list. We had visited two co-ops before we put our names on a waiting list. Both were interesting to us, so we chose the one that we thought would be the best fit. We had a wait of several years before we got to the top of the list, so even though we expressed interest in certain lots, we were too far down the list to get one. As we were waiting we started looking at actual driving mileage from each co-op to family. It turned out that the place where we were on the waiting list was FARTHER away than the other place (we thought it was the other way around, but that was just guessing). As it turned out, a lot that was pretty much what we wanted was available at the other co-op, so we asked for our deposit back from the first co-op and signed the papers at the one that was actually our first choice - The Ranch. BTW, some people have lots at more than one co-op. It may be that one of the southern ones would be a good winter headquarters for you, and one of the northern ones might be a good summer headquarters. I'd suggest that you look at each one's website and plan a visit to those that look interesting to you.

We use another mail service (Escapees wasn't in SD back then) and we've instructed them to always use Priority Mail. The two-day promise is a joke, as we've NEVER gotten our mail in two days. It sometimes takes that long just to leave Sioux Falls. We plan that it will always take a week, so that we're pleasantly surprised when it arrives sooner.

We're heading north on Monday. We have things pretty well laid out for May and the first bit of June, then we'll see what's what.

Welcome to the forum. You are on the right track as far as doing research BEFORE you buy something. We did several years of research before buying what was right for us at that time. Question 1: How much can your present truck tow? You really need to have actual weights for both axles to start. Fill the truck's tank, then put in everything that you KNOW will be in the truck when you are towing. Weigh both axles. Now you know what's already on those axles, and the door sticker will tell you how much more you can carry. When you look at trailers, use the GROSS Vehicle Weight Rating for the trailer. The sales person will often quote the empty (dry) weight, which is less. You're most likely going to be close to gross weight, so use that number. Figure 15% of that weight will be your hitch (tongue) weight, which goes on the rear axle of the truck. Question 2: Can your truck be towed behind a motor home? Check http://www.remcotowing.com/Towing/Store.php to find out. If it can, you have a choice about with type of RV to get. If not, you are limited to a trailer unless you are willing to trade vehicles. Question 3: Do you NEED a truck? If you went with a motor home you could tow something else. That might be something like a Smart (good fuel economy), a Jeep set up for off-road adventures, or even a luxury car (we tow a Lincoln MKT). It might be that your truck isn't worth what you have in it, and you don't want to trade vehicles. That's your call. Which is better? Only you can make that decision. I'd suggest you go to every RV dealer and show you can, and go into everything there, no matter the condition or price. It won't take long for you to figure out what floor plans will and won't work for you. Then it is just a matter of finding the right floor plan in an RV that meets your quality and budget requirements. Final thought: with all of the concern about disinfecting things, you might want to seriously consider only those rigs that are completely self-contained, so that you don't need to use the campground facilities. That was one of our requirements when we bought our coach seven years ago.

Well, we were supposed to be long gone from here by now, but things changed. We've been saying that when we start planning God starts laughing. We actually only have one thing that HAS to happen this summer: getting our drivers' licenses renewed in SD. Worst case, we could leave the MH here at The Ranch and take the car up to SD, get the licenses, then return. That would be four days on the road, but doable. Assuming that we could actually do the other thing on the plan, a wedding in NW IA, we're looking at possible routes. Beyond that, we'll see what happens.

We're in the other camp. When it is time to fill and dump I connect the proper hose, take care of that job, then put it away and do the other hose. When I'm dumping, I pull the grey handle and immediately close it again to check for leaks. When there are no leaks I dump the black tank, then use the grey to rinse the black. When the black is clean enough I close the black handle and open the grey. Once both tanks are empty I make sure the sewer hose is empty, then put it away. We normally fill/dump once a week, although lately I've taken to filling twice a week, just to make sure that I have plenty of water. If we went on a stricter water plan we could easily go 10 days between fill/dump days. We've had sewer flies a couple of times, and the sewer hose is connected only as long as necessary.

Is there any way that we can correct what we put in online? Like you, we didn't get anything in the mail, so we filled it out online. The instructions sure sounded like we had to put down where we were at that time (our winter base in NM), not our legal address (SD). After reading more since then, we really should have put down our SD address. Is there any way to correct it? We do have the number we got when we submitted the form online.

It seems that Jay has a couple of problems to deal with, and they are somewhat related. 1. Something must be done about his mother's property. Her will tells you what you must do as far as distributing the value of the property. Should you have the financial resources to do so, you could simply purchase the property yourself from the estate and distribute the cash to the various other heirs. Many people have done that, either because they actually wanted the property themselves or to buy themselves some time. You may well fit into the latter category. 2. Purchasing an RV. Many people spend several years researching this before making their first purchase. Since it sounds like you aren't an experienced RV'er yet, you may want to purchase your mother's property and stay there while you do your research. Don't be in a hurry to buy something just because prices are low right now. Buying the wrong thing, even at a low price, will be expensive in the long run. 3. A home base can be a good thing. Again, if your purchase your mother's place, you will have such a home base while you learn more about the rv life. No law says that the home base you start with must be your home base for all eternity. Of course, someone will have to take care of your home base while you are out on the road, and that may influence your decision. My suggestions are (and they are worth every penny you pay for them) are that you get some legal advice regarding settling your mother's estate. If the only beneficiaries are you and your siblings, and none of you are anxious to get it all settled, AND your attorney agrees, you may well all benefit from a bit of a delay. Begin your research on what sort of RV you want, need, and can afford. Find out what you like and don't like. Most people want slides, but some of us don't. Get used to the idea of something towing something else. A motorhome can tow an off-road vehicle, a trailer with a couple of different vehicles, a truck, or a fuel-efficient car. Your choice. A fifth-wheel (5'er) or travel trailer will require a truck. That truck will be your daily driver. A small trailer can be pulled by most SUV-type vehicles. Join the owners' forum for any brands that interest you, and ask lots of questions here and on any other forums you join. As you travel, check out the Escapees co-ops. Many have waiting lists, but if one seem interesting to you, you can get on the waiting list with a deposit that applies to your lease payment. Should you change your mind, that deposit is refunded. At least that's how the two that we dealt with operate. The waiting period can be as short as a few weeks to several years. Some of the Rainbow Parks have some lots that have long-term leases, and Livingston actually has an area with actual deeded lots. Lots of options with Escapees, and we're not the only such group. There are Airstream-only parks, should you purchase an Airstream.

We're in SE NM, and need to get up to SD sometime between 1 June and 7 September. We have a wedding to attend in NW IA in late May, so we were going to go to the wedding, then over to SD to get our licenses renewed. I'm guessing that we will be able to renew our licenses in time, but we may not be able to get to the wedding. Is there any issue with just passing through a State? As I write this, Nebraska has not closed down. I'm thinking that maybe we could get up to NW NM, overnight there, and then make it up to NE the next day, without stopping for anything.

We go to Walmart about once a week for shopping, and each time we check for RV tp, usually without success. Today, though, there was plenty, at at the usual price. Jo Ann picked up two packages, only to be told at checkout that there was a limit of one package per person. No sign to that effect. We went back later and each of us got a package.

Welcome! Removing the dining booth ought to be a pretty simple project. You may be left with some marks on the wall, though. The bedroom project will be a little more involved. The biggest part will be removing the wall between the living room and the bedroom. What's in/on that wall? Any electrical stuff? Is that where the television is mounted? The wall coverings (paneling, etc.) may not be continuous on the outside walls, so you will have a bit of a gap where the wall comes out. Same thing with any closet walls. You probably won't know about this until you start the demolition. You could try a phone call to the factory, but probably wouldn't accomplish much. You may want to think about keeping any built-in closets or drawers in the bedroom. Those can be very useful storage spaces that you have already paid for. You asked about software to help you design the project. I prefer some graph paper (I prefer 1/4" squares) and a sharp pencil with a good eraser. Costs very little, and you can see how the design changes over time.

A cat's litter box can also set it off. So can unusual air currents if the black tank is getting full. All of those, though, would be very intermittent. Since this happens only when not on shore power (what about generator power?) I'd look at the house batteries first. If they are good, check the date on the detector. Those things only have a five year life, and the newer ones will chirp to let you know that they are dying. From the age of your rig, that's probably a long shot, but it is also one of the cheaper fixes. Let us know what you find out.

Same here at The Ranch. When the weather is nice there are people walking, but when it gets hot or windy we stay inside. We're closed to new visitors. Only leaseholders are being allowed in, and most of us are already here.

"It seems that most WDHs - when properly set up - will get the job done. If the hitch isn’t set up right then even the best hitch will not do it’s job." Amen!

Reservations for holidays are a must. Otherwise, call ahead and ask. Also, it depends on whether you are looking at commercial parks or government-run parks (BLM, COE, State, county, city). Most government parks have a 10-14 day time limit. Commercial parks will often offer weekly and monthly rates. Passport America offers 50% discounts, sometimes only on one night, sometimes on several nights, and sometimes on your entire stay - depends on the park. Also pay attention to special events in the area. We were at a commercial park a month or so before the big solar eclipse of a couple of years ago. They made sure that we knew the rates would DOUBLE for the week of the eclipse. We made sure that we were long gone by then. Also, finding camping places in areas where there is a lot of oil work going on can be difficult. There is a lot of demand, so prices are high and all spaces are taken. Same holds true in any area where there is a lot of construction (pipe line, etc.).

Good thread! I talked to a solo traveler who has a plastic box mounted on the wall opposite the rig's door. The box had some sort of text on it (EMS or 911 or something like that) that had information that would be of help in an emergency. It was clearly visible from outside. A family member has all of the information that would be needed should something happen to either or both of us. That's important because we are so often together. We have two couples here that are both in care situations due to vehicle accidents NOT involving their rigs. Both will eventually recover and return, but it will be some time before that happens. Again, family members are taking care of their affairs.

Back to the original thread, New Mexico has closed ALL State parks for all purposes. Originally, the ban was just on camping, day use was permitted, but now even that is gone. The last I heard, Texas was still welcoming campers. We're starting to plan our summer travels, and will be monitoring the various State websites for where we will be.

WHY are the valve stems pointed in on the outside tire and out on the inside one? Why not have both point out? I ask myself that question every time I check the tire pressures.

Phil, you DO realize that you will be spending quite a bit of money that won't be returned to you when you sell? You will probably be money ahead to simply trade rigs. That said, was there a two-slide version of your rig? If so, the engineering has already been done. If not, you may well have to do it all yourself. You may need to do all of that in order to register the vehicle after the surgery, as you have made material changes to the structure.

One of the best bits of advice we received was to "do" your regular things in a potential rig. That is, "wash" the dishes, "cook" a meal, "take" a shower, "watch" the television, etc. For me, it doesn't matter if the rig even has a television set - I'm not going to use it. For Jo Ann, though, the television needs to be in a place where it is comfortable for her to watch. We don't have slides in this coach, and most likely the next one won't, either, but we realize that we are in a definite minority there. Realize that there are only so many ways that a box can be arranged for living, so don't be surprised if you find the same basic floorplan on a really cheap rig and a multi-million dollar one. Find the one or two that work for you, and concentrate on them.

Is your mail service in SD? If so, can they help? We switched the registration on our Foretravel from MO to SD while we were in OK - all by mail. For a fee, our mail service took care of delivering the paperwork to/from the proper offices and then mailed our new title, registration, and plates to us.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the tires were mounted exactly the same way, and even then, the left and right sides will travel different distances, so that you can't guess where the date code will be when you go look. I'm wondering, though, how it happens that the date code is between the tires. Usually at least the outer tire will be mounted so the date code is to the outside. I wonder if whoever was installing the tires did it deliberately? One low-tech way of getting the information is to do a rubbing. First, figure out about where the date code ought to be in relation to what you can see. Assuming that all tires are the same brand and model, your front tires will be your guides. Then tape a piece of plain paper over the area where the date code is, making sure that the tape is away from the target area. Use the side of a regular pencil lead to gently rub the target area. With a little luck, you will be able to read the date code when you take the paper out.